What the Future Holds
by SweetestRevenge
Summary: What I wanted after 'Watershed' and I know it won't happen but a gal can dream!


**At the moment this is a one-off but if out does well and I have time I will carry it on :)**

He was nervous. Really nervous as he sat, gently swaying on the swing. His palm becoming sweaty as it clutch to the cold metal circle concealed in his jeans pocket. He watched all the people going by him, watched the radiant sun gently lapping over the skyline, casting shadows in their wake as they toppled over the skyscrapers. The clouds dancing in the sky, drifting gracefully around the ocean of blue.

He had the words going round his head, trying to think of the perfect way to ask this life-changing question.

Then he began to think of her. About how the wind sounded like her sigh, how the golden rays of the sun reminded her of the colour of her eyes when she smiled. How the scent of the fresh-fruit cart down the street reminded him of the scent he had been waking up to most days, smothered on his pillow, his sheets and his skin.

He noticed her approaching out of the corner of his eye, but chose to remain looking on to the world ahead of him, remaining in his stoic state. Trying to ignore how her approach was making his heart pound faster.

XOXOXOXOXOX

"I've decided I want more, Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"

She was stunned, she came expecting him to say that if she left it would be the end of her. Then to have him propose completely threw her, she could barely think let alone speak. Her jaw dropped as she attempted to think this over.

"Castle, I, I really wasn't expecting this."

The look in her eyes filling him with fear.

"But before I answer, I need to let you know that I've decided to stay in New York."

His heart skipping at the thought of her staying with him.

"But, I can't say yes, not just yet. There's something I need to do before I can give that answer."

The look on his face was distraught, he was pale, skin drooped like it did when he'd been up all night. His head beginning to drop before she caught it in her hands. She couldn't stand to see him this way, but she had to do this. She brought his face up to hers, kissing him lightly, terrified that she wasn't getting his usual happy reaction to her kissing him in public. Pulling away to look into his eyes, she saw the tears welling up. She was braking his heart.

"Rick, this isn't a no, I'm just saying there's something I need to do."

He nodded slowly, the look of understanding crossing his face.

"You want to solve your mother's case before you make anymore commitments."

He rose to his feet, but with his eyes glued to the grass.

"I feel like an idiot, I knew you wouldn't be ready for this but I'd always hoped."

"Rick," she stood to join him, taking his hands, "come with me? Don't ask me where we're going please, just come with me, it'll only take a few minutes."

He nodded slightly, still unable to find the words to ease his pain, before she was escorting him to her car, getting in and driving... Somewhere.

After a few minutes had passed as they drove in silence, he began to talk again.

"So, do you think you'll ever be ready? To marry me? Because I'd always pictured that's how we would end up, marriage, kids the whole deal."

She turned to glimpse at him, his eyes hadn't left the dashboard in front of him, his head tilted down a bit.

And to think of all the times she'd been worried because she didn't think he wanted more from her, that he didn't know where they were going. Turns out he knew better than she did, he knew they had a future together.

"Would it be okay if I didn't answer that just now? We're nearly there."

They spent the next few minutes in silence until she pulled into a small car park by a church. He was confused, she could tell.

She took his hand, "I need us to do this before I can answer anymore questions Rick, please trust me."

He turned to look at her, tears streaked down his features, then nodding and exiting the car, waiting patiently for her.

She began walking towards the back of the church, through a gate and over grass before stopping still, waiting for him to join her.

It was a beautiful day, a beautiful place. The silhouette of the leaves dancing around the ground, creating different shades of green washing over the grace. He looked over to her, following slowly behind her, the golden rays illuminating her curls as the flowed gently in the breeze. When he finally joined her side he saw it.

She was stood in front of a tiny slab of granite. And he knew exactly where he was, but not sure what it meant.

"Hey mom. I know I haven't visited as often as I usually do, it's been crazy with work and everything. But there's someone I want you to meet." She linked her fingers with his, squeezing his hand lightly before turning to face him.

"I couldn't answer anything like that without her meeting you."

He looked slightly confused still but she knew he understood.

"Rick, I do want that for us, a future with a family of our own, I love you, more than anything on earth. I still find it ridiculous how at home I feel in your loft, how I care for Alexis like a daughter but still want us to make a little life. I've lost enough family already, I don't think I could loose you too."

He began to feel himself filling to the brim with love for her, so much love that it was almost painful.

"One of the main reasons I was even considering leaving was because I wasn't sure how serious you were about us and that you hadn't thought about our future."

She paused, looking at the ground.

"But, now I see that's not the case. So if you still want this, really want this, then ask me again."

His face lit up, he lowered to one knee before re-opening the box. Looking up at her, he spoke, "Kate, will you marry me?"

She took his hands to pull him up. Meeting his eye line.

"Yes."

Their lips crashing together, holding each other close before he pulled away, sliding the ring on to her nimble finger. Their eyes meeting once again before he looked down at her gravestone, he started thinking. She had taken him to her mother's grave, he'd never been here before, not that he didn't want to, but he thought it was her place to take him there. He had learnt so much about Johanna Beckett. He only wished he could have met her.

"She would have loved you you know."

His train of thought broken as he turned back to face her.

"You think?" His smile nervous.

"Of course, because I love you. I couldn't answer until she'd met you, she would've killed me if she was still around."

Their hands interlinking once again as she looked down to see the ring dazzling between them. Lighting the path ahead of them.

"We're really doing this." She mumbled.

"Yeah. We are."


End file.
